"My elder brother is no ordinary person. He was born extraordinary and cultivates the Dao in the Jade Void Palace."
Xu Hengyi spoke to himself. "You might not know, but there are many rumors about my elder brother in the capital. Some are quite outlandish. Just listen to them and don't take them to heart. When you meet my elder brother in the future, you'll naturally know what kind of person he is."
"However, my elder brother is not in the Jade Void Palace at the moment, so we won't have the chance to meet today. I heard he went out to gather herbs, and I don't know which deep mountain or old forest he's in now."
No one knew Xu Hengdan's whereabouts.
Xie Jiang was an exception.
If Xu Hengdan wasn't lured far away from the capital and all traces of him erased so that no one could find him, how could she poison Madam Xu? How could her plan proceed so smoothly?
It wasn't that she absolutely had to poison Madam Xu. Taking a different approach wouldn't affect the final outcome. She simply felt that the Duke of Wei's mansion was living too comfortably.
She would only be happy if the Duke of Wei's mansion was in chaos and never at peace.
Xu Hengyi led Xie Jiang away from the crowds offering incense and onto a tree-lined path.
Suddenly, they heard a woman crying.
Neither Xu Hengyi nor Xie Jiang paid it much mind at first.
Just as there were people laughing in the world every day, there were also people crying every day.
Until they vaguely heard the woman speak, "...My mother, she's really on her last legs. She can't wait. Do you know where Master Xu Tian is? I... I can go find him myself..."
Xu Hengyi let out a sound of surprise and looked in the direction of the voice.
Under an ancient pine tree by the roadside, a young girl was crying and pleading with a middle-aged Daoist priest.
Xu Hengyi should have just taken a curious glance and left. After all, people seeking his elder brother's medical attention were numerous every day, and his own family wanted to find his brother to treat their grandmother.
But seeing Xie Jiang standing beside him, Xu Hengyi paused. After some thought, he still walked over.
"What's going on?"
The middle-aged Daoist priest clearly recognized Xu Hengyi. Seeing Xu Hengyi come over to inquire, he explained the whole story.
It turned out the young girl was named Wu Hongyun, and her mother, Madam Zhou, had been a patient of Xu Hengdan.
Madam Zhou's illness would have been almost healed with a little more time. However, a few days ago, the girl's father lost money gambling. Unable to find the money at home, he took out his anger on his wife and daughter.
Madam Zhou was beaten half to death while protecting Hongyun. They had no money to hire a doctor or buy medicine, and Xu Hengdan had just left the capital. The delay had dragged on until she was now on her deathbed.
Xu Hengyi untied the money pouch from his waist and handed it to Hongyun, who was weeping profusely. "Quick, take this to hire a doctor."
Unexpectedly, Hongyun just shook her head. "Daoist Zhang already gave me money, and I hired a doctor, but they said... they said my mother's illness has been neglected for too long, and they can't save her."
Seeing Wu Hongyun at her wit's end, Xu Hengyi couldn't help but feel sympathy. Especially after experiencing his grandmother's serious illness, he felt a sense of empathy. He then turned his gaze to Xie Jiang. "It's not easy for mother and daughter. Young Master Xie, could I trouble you to..."
If ordinary doctors couldn't save her, perhaps a poison doctor would have a way.
Xie Jiang kicked him directly.
Xu Hengyi, caught off guard, fell flat on his face, completely stunned. Then he became furious. Who kicks people around like this!
Xu Hengyi sprang up from the ground, met Xie Jiang's cold gaze, and his burning anger instantly turned into guilt.
He had promised to come to the Jade Void Palace for vegetarian meals, and before he could even eat, he was asking someone to go practice medicine. It did seem a bit unreasonable.
But listening to Wu Hongyun's despairing cries, Xu Hengyi couldn't harden his heart and pretend nothing had happened.
Xu Hengyi braced himself. "How about after we eat... Since we've met, it means we're fated. Young Master Xie, with your benevolent heart and skilled hands, please help this poor child."